


break me until it's unbearable (smile and i'm in love again)

by Dusty_Skyes



Series: Land, Sea, and Sky [10]
Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: AU - Everybody Lives, AU - Link isn't awake, M/M, Oh My God, Self-Hatred, TEBA STOP ALREADY, communication is really important, oh hey look who is finally awake, oh look it's my old friend the cliffhanger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 06:30:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10484379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dusty_Skyes/pseuds/Dusty_Skyes
Summary: It begins with the fact that Teba cannot keep his beak shut.





	

**Author's Note:**

> OH MY GOD, TEBA, WILL YOU STOP.
> 
> Title comes from a poem by [@izzyfunicorns](http://weheartit.com/entry/181424420)

     It begins with the fact that Teba cannot keep his beak shut. He's grump and grouchy and bitchy and Kass loves that about him, but by-the-Goddess does Teba needs to learn to watch what he says.

     It begins when Teba insults Sidon. It's only been a few hours since the white-feathered Rito has woken up and he's just as rude as ever and Kass is probably three seconds away from wrapping his wings around Teba's neck and _throttling_ him. He grinds his beak together, breathes in slowly, and forcefully reins in his temper. Kass can do this. He doesn't need to punch Teba.

     Actually, apparently, he _does_ need to punch Teba. Sidon sticks his head into the room a little while later, Revali right behind, and he's as bright and cheerful as ever. He happily informs them that they can stay as long as they like. The deep-blue-feathered Rito nods, looking vaguely amused.

     Kass thanks him politely, relieved that Teba will be able to recover completely in a safe place.

     Teba, on the other hand, scowls darkly and glares at the red Zora. Who is he to be thanked so politely by Kass? “Pfeh,” he spits. “I don't need your charity, fish-face.” The whole room freezes. Kass makes this horrible shrieking noise that has no business coming from a Rito's throat, whirls around, and slams his clenched fist into the side of Teba's beak.

     “I am so sorry!” he yelps as he shakes out his wing, and his voice is barely heard over the sound of Teba's pained squawking, “he was raised in a cave, I swear!” They're going to be thrown out of the palace right now all because Teba can't keep his fucking beak shut for more than five minutes! Forget punching Teba in the beak; if they're thrown out, then Kass is going to break his _face!_ He has _never_ been thrown out of a place his entire life and he _does not want to start now_.

     But Sidon just laughs. “I've never been called fish-face before,” he says, clearly amused. “Revali here has occasionally told me that I have water for brains when I do something particularly stupid, but never fish-face.” He laughs again and jostles the Rito beside him. “Isn't that right?”

     “Of course,” Revali says with a sniff. “But it's only when you're a fool.”

     Sidon shakes his head, his head-fin wagging. “My own sister has called me an idiot before.”

     The female Zora beside Sidon snorts. “This was, naturally, when you got curious about the Legendary Fish living in Lake Hylia and tried to go hunt it on your own.”

     “I was _four_!” Sidon hisses. “Give me a break!”

     She smiles at him. “Exactly. Prince Sidon the fierce.” He groans and buries his face in his hands, looking very much like he wants to hide.

     “By the Goddess, Mipha, please _stop_.”

     “I'm your sister. I'm _supposed_ to tease you endlessly.”

     Teba squeaks and goes a shade of white that is visible even though his feathers. “You're the _prince_?”

     Sidon eyes him for a second, golden gaze fierce, then nods. Oh, Goddess. Why does Teba ever open his mouth? He closes his eyes and presses a wing against his smarting beak, then turns to look at Kass. The other Rito is pointedly ignoring him, chirping and trilling with Revali in the ancient tongue. Delight is clear on Kass' face and Teba tries to keep from screaming in a jealous fury.

     It gets worse when Kass comes into the room a day or two later. He's practically glowing with delight and Teba wants to grind his beak together, if only because he wasn't the one to cause that delight. “Revali is so amazing,” Kass gushes. “He speaks the ancient tongue so well. And he knows all these songs, too! He taught me so much!” He grins widely and starts humming a song Teba has never heard before. He guesses it was one of the ones Revali taught him and once again feels jealousy burn hot in his chest.

     “Well,” Teba spits, so furious and hurt and angry for having this stupid attraction, “why don't you go spend more time with him, and leave me in peace?” He hates himself even more for the shocked look on Kass' face; hates himself even further when the blue-feathered Rito's face _falls_ , sadness blooming in Kass' pretty eyes.

     Kass quietly leaves the room without saying a word.

     Teba hates himself so much more than he already does.

(But most of all, he hates Revali for having all of Kass' attention.)

**oOo**

     It begins with the nosiness that only the Rito and Zora Champions can have. Because, despite claiming otherwise, Revali and Mipha cannot resist a good gossip. It starts with Mipha twitching at the sight of Kass storming past, so furious that tears are running down his cheeks, and she winces and heads into the room.

     Teba sits morosely on the bed, head down and face in his wings, and she can see his own shoulders shaking, can hear his muffled sobs. Sighing faintly, she sits down beside him and tugs his larger form against her. It's a testament to how upset he is that he doesn't protest, instead buries his face into her neck and chokes on his tears. For a long time, he says nothing, merely cries until his sobs have dried up and his breath no longer hitches.

     With a long breath of air, Mipha turns to glance at him. Teba looks terrible and there's a horrible lack of _anything_ in his eyes. “Do you want to talk about what happened?” she finally asks.

     “Not really,” Teba says, and there's a broken emptiness to his voice that alarms Mipha.

     Mipha sighs again and decides that she's just going to have to poke the Lynel. “It's about Kass,” she begins, feeling more than seeing when Teba flinches. “Do you love him?”

     He doesn't answer, but eventually nods. “He doesn't like me back,” Teba admits quietly. “He's so intelligent and bright and speaks the ancient tongue. He plays instruments and prefers to not fight. I don't. I barely know a few words of the ancient tongue. I prefer the thrill of the fight over reading. I can't play anything.”

     She thinks over what he has just said and tries not to sigh again. “Sometimes the course of love doesn't run smooth.”

     Teba makes a choking noise. “He's so into Revali,” he finally manages, then pulls away and buries his face in the bed. It's a clear sign that he doesn't want to speak anymore. Mipha blinks, blindsided by the admission, and frowns a little before leaving the small room. It's only after she's back in the main area of the Healing Halls that she remembers that Revali is taken; that he and her brother are kinda-more-or-less courting. Fuming at the complete misunderstanding, she begins cursing.

     “That's quite the language, Princess.” Turning at the voice, she raises a brow at the sight of Muzu. The elder seems amused at her lack of decorum, but then again, it's Muzu. He's a crafty Zora, despite his old age, and if he doesn't want to be read, then he won't.

     “Oh, hello.”

     “Hello, yourself,” he greets. “Any particular reason as to your sudden bout of cursing?”

     “I think I've got _another_ pair of morons on my hands,” she grinds out. Through a nearby window she can see Kass underneath a tree in the gardens. He's crying pretty hard, wings crossed over his knees and face buried in the feathers there. Poor thing will have one hell of a headache later and she makes a note to bring him something to relieve the pain.

     Muzu suddenly looks interested. “Is this as bad as Revali and Sidon?” he asks, curious, because he's never been one to ignore juicy gossip either.

     She scowls. “ _Worse_. Teba is head-over _-fins_ for Kass. Thinks he's the most amazing thing to walk the lands since the three goddesses themselves. Waxed poetic about him and everything. The problem stems from the fact that Kass doesn't like him back.”

     “That would be incorrect,” Revali states as he lands in a nearby window. “Kass is just as in love with him, and just as convinced that Teba would never look in his direction. Either both of them are blind, or they're reading the situation seriously wrong.”

     “Oh my,” Muzu sighs, looking very much like he wants to pinch the bridge of his nose, “can they be both?”

     “Trust me, it gets worse,” Mipha mutters. “Because of how attentive Kass is with you, Revali, he's pretty fucking jealous of you.”

     Revali makes a face. “Thanks, but I'm already taken. Sidon is mine.”

     “Yes, but he doesn't know that.” Mipha raises a single brow and gestures towards the window. “Teba said it himself. He's a fighter, not a scholar; he doesn't have many of the same interests as Kass, but you know music _and_ can speak the ancient language while he only knows a few words.”

     Muzu clicks his tongue. “They're being fools. Still, it might not be wise to attempt anything. Their friendship seems to be barely holding together as it is.”

     The Rito groans and runs a hand through his feathers. “This is so damn frustrating. It's worse than Sidon and I were.” Tugging at one of the intricately done braids, he idly repositions the stone at the end with a frown.

     Mipha laughs at him and says with a smirk, “At least you realized your attraction. And with a little bit of work, you actually got together.”

     “Work? Don't you mean meddling?” Revali asks, carefully eyeing both Mipha and Muzu as they exchange glances with each other.

     Then Muzu sniffs daintily. “Are they not the same thing?” he asks, somehow managing to look innocent.

     Revali points a finger at him. “You. I don't trust that look.” He glances out the window and sighs at Kass' slumped form. “Dammit. I'll go yell at Teba. Mipha, can you or Muzu see if you can calm Kass down?”

     The elder nods. “I shall see about it,” he says regally and then strides off like he owns the damn place.

     Mipha nods, but doesn't move. “I shall go check on the Knight,” she informs him before vanishing into another room. The moment he's alone, Revali turns to the door that Teba resides behind and breathes in slowly. All of the agitation, anger, and annoyance that came from failing to capture or deal with the Corrupted Zora bubbles up and he snarls and kicks the door open.

     Teba starts, jerking upwards in a way that has to yank on his wound painfully, but Revali doesn't care. “YOU ARE AN IDIOT!” he bellows, before marching over and hauling the white-feathered Rito up by his shoulders. “Get this through your thick skull. _I. Am. Courting. Prince. Sidon._ ” Then, far too furious to actually say anything else—besides, it's really not his place to tell Teba that Kass is in love with him—Revali whirls around and storms out of the room before he can actually give into the urge and hit the other.

     Behind him, Teba stares at the door with wide eyes.

(Oh, Goddess. What has he _done_?

Kass will never, ever forgive him for his stupidity.

He will never forgive himself, either.

Why does he exist again? All he does is fail.)

**oOo**

     It begins with a darkness that swallows his sight, clogs his throat, and settles heavily in his lungs. A darkness that coats his flesh and drags him under, that fills his ears with horrible laughter that never ends. He remembers the vague sensation of fighting, the dream of striking at monsters that dared to wear the skin of people he once knew. He drowns in the darkness and he can't find the surface. There's a light that burns like the sun.

     For a while after, there's a soothing heat that smells vaguely of the sea, and it temporarily chases away the pain and the shadows. In the end though, they always come back.

     It comes back, occasionally, the warmth of the sun and the sea and the song that brings about peace. He never remembers it, but it almost sounds familiar.

     He has the vague sensation of being spoken to. Someone calls for him, but he cannot hear them. Speaks his name but he cannot answer.

     If anything changes around him, he's not aware of it.

     All of his senses have been stolen away and he cannot breathe because there is no air for him to take in. The thick, black sludge that is the darkness clogs his throat and fills his lungs.

     White surrounds him, burning the darkness out of his bones and searing the taint from his flesh, and the brush of something on his skin is enough to bring him to focus.

(The Knight is awake and cannot see.

He screams with a voice that cannot be heard.)

 


End file.
